Employers’ top 20 hardest-to-fill roles

With official data showing UK employment at an almost all-time high and jobseekers enjoying a record number of vacancies to choose from, job site Indeed has identified the top 20 roles employers find hardest to fill.

While many careers remain highly competitive, in some sectors the number of people looking for work isn’t keeping up with demand from employers. With fewer candidates applying for jobs, vacancies can take longer to fill.

Indeed analysed tens of thousands of UK vacancies being advertised in January of this year, and identified the 20 roles most likely to have been listed for more than 60 days.

The hardest to fill was football coach, with half of these vacancies (49.7%) still unfilled after two months. Just slightly behind was veterinary nurse, which had 49.2% of vacancies still open after 60 days.

One finding revealed by the data is how much the optometry sector is struggling to find staff. Three roles in the industry – optician (fourth), optometrist (sixth) and optical assistant (15th) – feature in the 20 hardest-to-fill jobs.

Several of the roles are limited to highly trained professionals and offer correspondingly high average salaries – solicitor (£41,913), surgeon (£39,528) and dentist (£37,825) – and a third of the top 20 pay more than the average UK salary of £27,195.

The full list is as follows:

1. Football coach
2. Veterinary nurse
3. Volunteer
4. Optician
5. Collection agent
6. Optometrist
7. Surgeon
8. Seasonal associate
9. Graduate assistant
10. Hair stylist
11. Dog walker
12. Flight attendant
13. Sandwich maker
14. Beauty consultant
15. Optical assistant
16. Secondary school teacher
17. Visual merchandiser
18. Solicitor
19. Dentist
20. Patrol officer

Bill Richards, UK managing director at Indeed, commented: “Britain’s job creation boom means more of us are in work than ever before. But with job vacancies at a record high too, in some areas employers are engaged in a full-scale battle for talent.

“Some recruiters are seeking to stand out by offering especially attractive packages to recruits, while others are leaving vacancies open for longer to draw a bigger pool of candidates.

“From the jobseeker’s point of view, these ‘hard to fill’ roles may be worth considering if you’re contemplating a career move. While some require highly specialised skills, others do not; and with potentially lower levels of competition and some tempting salaries on offer, landing one of these jobs could boost both your career and your bank balance.”